HEALTH STATUS AND POPULATION CHARACTERISTICS OF DOGS AND CATS EXAMINED AT PRIVATE VETERINARY PRACTICES IN THE UNITED STATES

bservational studies in companion animal researchare commonly conducted using information fromdogs and cats referred to veterinary teaching hospitals.However, patients referred to veterinary teaching hos-pitals are not representative of the general populationof animals examined at private veterinary practices,but rather, represent a subset of patients with diseasesthat are difficult to diagnose and treat.